Anytime a treasured locally owned business goes under, I tend to feel like a jackass, as though not doing enough personally to help keep it afloat. So it is with the latest such closing, the Village Bookshop in Linworth, which had been my favorite bookstore in town from the late 90s onward.
During our last ever visit, in December of 2017, we have not a clue about its impending demise. The lady who owns it – manning the cash register herself – says she and her husband have had the place for 34 years. A former church, it’s been a bookstore since 1969, however, even if they did expand the scope quite a bit when purchasing the business in the early 1980s. Keep in mind that this isn’t entirely a “used book store” as this phrase is commonly understood. Rather, they mostly offer books – where fresh releases or classics – that are in brand new condition, sold at a steep discount from the cover price. There’s plenty of room to move around in, the place is well organized, and it has a great atmosphere. Having said that, it does get a little overwhelming after a while and you almost always wind up leaving before even getting through everything, as their selection extends all the way up to a second floor.
Here are some snapshots of the visit. I don’t know how a couple of these turned out black and white, but it’s a cool accident:
In their May 30, 2018 edition, The Columbus Dispatch first breaks the news that this treasured institution is closing. According to co-owner Gary Friedlinghaus as interviewed in this piece, local celeb Fritz The Nite Owl was featured in at least one early commercial for this bookstore. Friedlinghaus further laments the changing book scene as a whole, a point with which it’s just about impossible to disagree. A few hardy survivors soldier on, and there have even been recent openings around town, but it’s sad that this one was not able to weather the storm.
Anyway, sorry to see you go, old friend. I’m not sure what’s here now, but it couldn’t possibly be as cool. I feel like even God himself would rather have this bookstore here instead of another church.
